Individuality
by DayLightDove
Summary: Though quintessence is all the same life energy, it is different for every living thing, each having their own unique and individual feeling to them. Allura tasks Keith to focus on his teams individual quintessence to better learn how to deal with his sensitivity. Keith can't help but be amazed by all he learns. (Sequel to QS)


**Ok so this is a new story.**

**Once again I continue the QS (Quintessenal Shock) series because I will now have lots of ideas for it! So yeah, hope you all enjoy!**

**I don't own Voltron Legendary Defender!**

**Onto the one-shot!**

* * *

Within the quiet of the training room, Allura and Keith sat facing each other.

"So.." Keith drew out, shifting slightly as he spoke. "What are we going to do today?"

"Well," Allura began with a clap of her hands. "I think we've spent enough time on working on sensing quintessence, especially since you've had that down even before you started training."

Keith was a little relieved at this. He had started getting a little bored with the routing they had been doing since it had just consisted of him sensing different levels of quintessence and learning how to deal with feeling them. He will admit that it has made an improvement on his sensitivity though. He could just be relaxing in his room and he'd be able to tell that someone walked by without even actively searching for them. Of course, when he had told Allura of this, she then taught him how to block off the quintessence, like a mental shield to help keep the energy from overwhelming him. This had been more of a struggle for him to do, but Allura explained that may be because of how sensitive he was. She claimed that even with just this basic training he was already so much more sensitive to quintessence then she had been at his point of training.

(Of course, what Allura didn't tell him is that she pretty sure that he's already surpassed her with his ability to just simply sense quintessence. It honestly amazed her how sensitive he was already without any training, and it had only grown with her guidence)

"Well, today we will be doing something a bit different." Allura continued. "You will still be sensing quintessence, however this time I want you to focus on the differences between everyone's quintessence so that eventually you can tell anyone on this team by just feeling their energy."

Keith blinked, no quite yet catching on to what she was saying. "Wait, I'm what?"

Allura just smiled. "As you know, everything is made up of quintessence as it is life itself. It is because of this that, while the quintessence for every being is similar, they are also completely different. An example you might be able to understand is when you followed both the Blue Lion's quintessence as well as the Red Lion's. You were most likely able to track the Red Lion without any prior connection due to the fact that you traced the small amount of similarity in their quintessence. However, I'm also sure you quickly realized that their energies are completely different from each other."

Keith paused to think about it. True, so far he's always noticed a very, very faint similarity between every bit of quintessence he has felt, the basic outline of it being pure energy. However, when he went further than that like he did with the Lions, he knew exactly what Allura was talking about. He remembered the cool and calming feeling of the Blue Lion while Red was a burning heath that shot through his body.

At the thought of his Lion, he felt Red send a growl in return, to which he replied with a small smile. Directing his attention back to Allura, he replied. "I'm pretty sure I know what you're talking about. So...what do you want me to do?"

Allura smiled.

* * *

Lance yawned as he walked into the lounge area, having just woken up from his much needed beauty sleep. He knew that Hunk was no doubt in the kitchen making breakfast for all of them and while he would love to be hanging out with his best friend at the moment, he wanted to take a few more minutes to relax this morning. However, he froze as he faced the couch, his eyes taking in the sight before him.

"Uh...Keith? What's...uh...what's with the blindfold, buddy?" Lance asked because lo and behold, there was their resident hot head sitting on the couch with a blindfold over his eyes.

"Oh, hey Lance." Keith replied, his head, though already tilted in Lance's direction, turning even further to the sound of his voice. "Allura...uh...she wants me to get use to everyone's different quintessence so that I can tell everyone apart. She said it would also help strength my abilities as well, however that will be. Uh...the-uh-the blindfold is supposed to help me focus on the quintessence without seeing who it is."

"Wait, then how are you supposed to know who's who?"

Keith shrugged. "I don't know, your voice or something? Allura's the teacher, not me."

"True," Lance said, finally sitting down besides his fellow paladin. "Of course, I thought you didn't like listening to teachers?"

Keith snorted. "Only when they think I'm stupid or what they're teaching is pointless. It's why I didn't listen in flight class. Why bother learning something I already knew. This is a bit different than that."

"Sure, whatever you say, Mullet." Lance smirked. "I think you just like Allura as much as I do! In fact, I'm a bit jealous of how much time you get to spend with her. How do I know you're actually training, hm?" At this Lance pointed a finger at Keith, only to gawk when the red paladin effortlessly smacked his finger away.

"I'm not you Lance. Besides, why would I even be wearing a blindfold if all we were doing was hanging out?"

"Wha-?!" Lance was still flicking his eyes between Keith's blindfold and his hand. "How did you know where my finger was!?"

"It's you." Keith replied as if that explained everything.

"Nonononono!" Lance protested, shifting to he could stare at Keith. "Do you just have freaky ninja skills or something?! I bet you can see through that blindfold! He exclaimed this while reaching towards Keith, making the other lean back when he sensed the other getting closer.

"Lance, stop! Why would I be faking this!?"

"I don't know! Some reason you have!" Lance replied, reaching for the blindfold again, only to get his fingers smacked away again. "Stop using your ninja skills!"

"Stop getting in my personal space!"

"Not until I learn your secrets!"

"What secrets!? Lance!" Keith let out a growl as he jumped away from Lance only to end up falling off the couch.

Both teens froze in shock at the sudden action, neither having expected the sudden fall in their tussle. However, after both seemed to process what had actually happened, Lance started laughing wholeheartedly while Keith scowled from his position on the floor.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. You believe me now?" Keith grumbled as he used his hands to find his way back onto the couch.

Lance struggled to get his breath back but when he did, he spoke between his chuckles. "W-What happened to those ninja skills, Keith?! Oh man, that's just too good!"

"Lance." Keith growled, but anyone who knew Keith could tell there was no real heat behind his words.

"Ok, ok, I get it." Lance relented, attempting to calm himself down. Keith let out a soft huff before the two fell into a comfortable silence.

After a few seconds of this, Lance glanced over at Keith with curiosity shining in his eyes. He wanted to ask Keith the question plaguing his mind, but he didn't know if the other would answer. However, Keith seemed to pick up on Lance's mulling and sighed.

"What is it now?"

"Well, I was just curious, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to of course...and I mean-"

"Lance."

"Right, sorry." Lance let out a laugh. "Just...I was just wondering if you could tell me what my quintessence felt like? Again you don't need to I just...you know...I'm curious?"

Keith didn't respond at first. He didn't really know how he was supposed to. He wasn't prepared for this type of question yet at the same time he should have expected them as well considering the people he was on board the ship with. Shifting slightly due to the suddenness of the question as well as fighting off the sudden blush that threatened to spread across his cheeks, Keith turned his head slightly away from Lance as he replied.

"I...uh...sure, I guess." Keith replied awkwardly, shifting even more as he felt Lance still so focused on him. Fighting past the embarrassment he was feeling at this moment, Keith moved his focus on the energy sitting besides him instead. His heightened senses threatened to locate the other energies within the castle, but he used the techniques that Allura had taught him to keep them out of his head and focus only on the being in front of him.

The energy appeared as an ocean blue in his mind, the calming yet energetic feeling rushing through his veins. Keith let out a breath at that, his own body seeming to relax as well. It was similar to when he felt Blue for the first time as well, relaxing almost instantly despite his mountain of trust issues. It was nice, in a way he didn't expect. Lance's quintessence also seemed to have a feeling of protectiveness and family, but he knew that the blue paladin had a large family so this shouldn't have been a was also a strong sense of loyalty that flowed through the energy as well, so strong with such a burning passion. Looking closer to the quintessence, Keith could almost sense where the Blue Lion's was intertwined with Lances, Keith easily finding the familiar source but could also find it separate from Lance's own, despite the similar calming feeling both had.

It was amazing, really.

"Keith? Hey, Mullet, you with me?"

Keith came back to awareness by Lance calling his name and turned his head in the blue paladin. "Ah, sorry...I got lost in thought."

"Right,"

"Uh, if you want to still know…"

"I do! Um, if you'll still tell me."

"Right, yeah, sure." Keith said awkwardly. Clearly, both paladins were not prepared for this spontaneous decision between the two. "So...uh...I picked up a feeling...like the uh ocean? If that makes sense. And...um...comfort, calming...excited? Family was there two, if you want to count that as a feeling...um something like loyalty or whatever...yeah that's-that's about it, I guess. It's harder to describe than feel."

"No! No, that's...that's fine uh great really. Thanks." Lance said with a smile. Hearing a chime from his communicator, Lance glanced down to see that Hunk had sent everyone a message saying that breakfast was ready. "Hey, you want to head down to the dining room? Breakfast is ready."

Keith shrugged, the remains of his blush still on his face. "Sure." Then he stood up, blindfold still firmly over his eyes.

Lance looked at him. "Uh, can't you take that off?"

Keith shook his head. "No. Allura said I could only take it off at night, in my room if I'm alone, or if we had a mission. Plus any added time she says I can have a break, which she said she'll send a message to me for or if I need to find my way through the castle and I absolutely need my sight for it. Outside of that, I'm supposed to focus purely on all of your guys' quintessence."

"Huh, even alone Allura's training methods are extreme." Lance sighed, remembering back when she had them first training to be Paladins of Voltron. Yeah, Allura could be tough for sure.

Shaking his head to get out of his thoughts, Lance let his hand shoot out and grasp Keith's wrist as he spoke. "Well, I'll help you out for now, then! Come on!"

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Keith groaned as he reluctantly followed after Lance.

"Nope!"

* * *

"Um, why does Keith have a blindfold on?" Hunk asked as he placed a plate of goo in front all of each person at the table.

"I was just about to ask that myself." Shiro said while looking between Allura and Keith. "Allura? Keith? Care to explain."

"It's part of my training." Keith sighed, his hand reaching forward to find a spoon to eat the goo with. At the moment, he was trying to focus on all of the different energies filling the room without getting overwhelmed at the same time. He tried to follow each of the voices as they spoke and focused then solely on the energy coming from that area. He was able to figure out the different energies this way, but he couldn't place then with someone yet, at least with the exception of Lance.

"It's to help him learn what each of our quintessence feels like and being able to isolate the feeling without knowing who it is. This will help if he ever needs to find one of you without any other way to track any of you, and it will help him learn how to isolate individual quintessence in general." Allura replied with a happy smile. "Don't worry, it won't get in the way of missions or anything."

"Right." Shiro stated simply, not really knowing what to say to this.

"I will admit, this is an interesting way of learning." Pidge observed as they ate their breakfast. "Have you noticed that you can tell the difference in things more? Like, have you learned any of us individually yet?"

Keith shifted under the attention. "Well, I mean, it's a bit difficult right now, if that's what you're wondering. I mean, I can tell there are different energies, but I can't exactly pinpoint them all."

"What?! But we just had a bonding moment!" Lance protested getting Keith to scowl in his direction with no doubt a glare beneath that blindfold.

"I can find you a bit better than others." Keith huffed out. "As well as Allura." It was true. He found Allura's quintessence easily through the mix of energies, her familiar motherly yet youthful power flowing around and through her. She had an air fitting a princess yet at the same time Keith once again found himself relaxing in her waves.

"That's not surprising." Allura said. "You've spent a majority of your time learning about your ability with me, so it's no surprise you can tell me apart from the others. Lance though is a bit of a shock. You only just spent a few moments with him?"

Keith flushed and turned his head away from everyone. "I-I just have a good memory as all. Besides, we just hung out, so it's a bit fresh in my mind. No big deal or anything."

"That's amazing!" Pidge exclaimed, eyes shining with interest at the information.

"So, we just have to hang out with Keith until he can know who's who by their quintessence?" Hunk asked, his own interest in the subject coating his voice.

"Yes! The easier that Keith can figure out who is who, the sooner he can take the blindfold off! Of course, that's after I know for sure he can tell who is who by their energy." Allura replied with a bright smile an a nod of her head.

"Ha! Now you have to socialize, Mullet!" Lance laughed, pointing a finger at Keith.

"Oh the tragedy! How will I stay sane after spending so many hours with just you?"

"What!? Hey! I'm wonderful to be around! You just learned that!"

"What I learned was that you can be very annoying when it comes to proving your thoughts."

"Come on, Keith," Pidge spoke up, fixing their glasses. "You couldn't have just learned that."

Keith nodded. "Right, sorry. It was just further proven, then."

"Hey!"

Laughter drowned out all of Lance's protests.

Following that meal, Keith would spend nearly an hour a day with one of his fellow paladins. He would talk with them or just hang out, but the entire time he would be focusing on what he felt from his team mate.

From Pidge, he picked up the strong power of the thirst for knowledge and intelligence. He picked up the child like curiosity that the younger had as well as the strong determination they had to help and stay by the side of those they cared about. It was the strength of a an ungiving tree trunk and the speed of the fastest technology. The power appearing as that green glow of technology interlaced with the green of a tree's leaves.

From Hunk a color and warmth that mimicked the sun reached his mind. The trust and honestly from the taller teen's quintessence was enough to knock the air from his lungs. The loyalty and pure friendship and care he had through Keith in such a welcoming whirl that he almost couldn't make heads or tails of it, yet it seemed so right. That foundation of trust Keith could take comfort in was like that of a stone ground. He knew it would not break beneath him and that he could trust in Hunk just as much as Hunk trusted in them

Coran's quintessence had sent Keith a wave of confusion before he could finally, kinda sorta grasp how he would describe the older Altean. First was just pure energy and carefreeness. It was the feeling of someone so at peace with themselves and so trustworthy as if you could always put your faith in them and it would never waver. Loyalty and care also reached through the energy, as well as a fierce protectiveness like that of an uncle-as odd as that may sound. The color that reached Keith was that of a bright, burning orange. A color that refused to rhyme with any other and be so bright you couldn't help but let your eye be drawn to it.

Shiro's should not have surprised Keith, but he supposed that his mind was open to anything. The pure protectiveness and loyalty and kindness Keith felt was nothing he wasn't use to, but the power of it kicked all air from his lungs. The feeling of family and stability radiated so strongly it nearly brought tears to Keith's eyes. The strength within his adoptive brother was more then Keith could have ever thought and Keith welcomed the warmth and comfort it brought him whenever he found the energy. The color within his mind was such a pure and burning white, the strength never seeming to waver beneath any onslaught of emotions and burdens.

But what Keith found was most amazing with each energy, was how comforting it was to him, how he seemed to instantly relax when he felt the flow of it in his vicinity. Never did Keith think he would find such comfort again after his father's death and especially after losing Shiro that first time. Yet here he was, tension easing out of him the moment he knew one of his teammates-no friends-was near.

By the end of the week, Keith could easily find any one of them throughout the castle without even trying. Of course, this lead to an even more increase in teaching him how to create a mental shield to keep himself from being overwhelmed, but Keith couldn't see how he could be so overwhelmed by quintessence that only led to his relaxation.

However, this wasn't the end of his study. No, Allura said to lean the quintessence of every member on the team and it is this statement that led him to where he was now.

Keith entered the hanger that held all of the Lion's together, the center connection between all five of the Lion's individual hangers. He was here because he wanted to know all of their differences as well, just as he knew the Blue Lion and the Red Lion. He wanted to know the other's outside of their connection to their paladins, something he had felt within each of the paladins when looking into their quintessence.

As he stared up at the three Lion's he was not yet accustomed to, Red remained like a strong, burning comfort in the back of his mind.

"Uh...hi." Keith said awkwardly. "Um...look I know I'm not your paladin, for any of you that is except for Red, but I would at least like to know how you feel...if you know what I mean that is. Uh…" He trailed off, waiting for a sign from them. There was no vocalization from them but a soft growl from Red at the back of him mind pushed him forward. "Right, uh...so I'd go to your hanger's separately at first, you know...so I can get the feel for each of you? Um...if that's ok, I mean."

Again, nothing. Keith was about to give up and just start trying to get use to them all from where he was, but then he watched as their eyes lit up and they all turned to enter the doorways to their respective hangers. Keith watched as each door remained open for him, an invitation if he saw any.

Let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding, Keith gave a small smile. "Thanks."

From there, he learned each of the Lion's respective energies, from the Green Lion's inquisitive nature, to the Yellow Lion's loyal strength. He familiarized himself even more with Blue's calming air and relaxed in the comforting flame of Red's. He focused under the watchful and wise gaze of the Black Lion and felt at peace under the cosmic color of their quintessence.

Of course, by opening himself up to their energies, he never expected being able to feel each individual Lion like he could feel Red. It wasn't as strong, obviously since he wasn't their paladin, but it was there nonetheless, something that had shocked him the first time it happened.

He had been struggling particularly that day in focusing his shields and centering on a specific quintessence. As he was gritting his teeth and straining to focus, he felt a strong presence nudge his mind.

Head whipping up to stare at Yellow, Keith asked. "Did you just-" He fell silent as the familiar energy nudged against his mind again, this time subtly accompanied by the other's as well, the Lions trying to help him calm down. Keith relaxed under their attention and smiled when he felt Red rise up stronger than the other's as if making a statement.

"Thanks guys." He whispered into the hanger, soft growls answering him. He didn't tell the others right away, not really knowing what to make of this sudden knowledge, but to know they would be there to help was a nice comfort.

* * *

"I wonder what my quintessence feels like." Keith wondered as he lay in bed one night, staring up at the ceiling. It was a question that had been floating around his mind since he had been getting to know the others' quintessence. He didn't want to bother Allura with his question so he kept it to himself, but that couldn't keep him from wondering.

A soft growl answered him as Red's presence flared in the back of his mind.

"Red?"

"_Strength, loyal, power, good, flame."_ Red sent to him, the words traveling through their connection. Keith paused as he listened to the list, only to flush when he realized what Red was saying.

"Um…"

_"Bold, burning, bright, red."_

Keith sat there, a smile on his face when the words trailed off. "Thank's Red."

A purr met his ears and Keith drifted off to sleep wrapped in the comforting energy of his Lion.

* * *

**So that was that! Hope you enjoyed! There will be more to come. Keith will also probably be hurt at some point...who knows when I'm just shocked I haven't hurt him yet. This is progress for me.**

**Anywho feel free to comment or anything else.**

**Until next time! :D**


End file.
